Record Reviews

EXTRA BALL ~ AKUMULA-TORRES POLJAZZ / ANEX 215 (Barcode: 5907513047445) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1983 Released: 2006 Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Extra BallFind albums by this artist was the best and most dominant ensemble on the local scene in the late 1970s. Founded by the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time, members of the second generation of the country´s splendid tradition, they displayed an amazing level of individual talents both as players and composers. Led by guitarist Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, the initial incarnation of the band also included saxophonist Andrzej OlejniczakFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Wladyslaw SendeckiFind albums by this artist. Although the band practically ceased to perform and record by the end of the 1970s, Smietana organized an ad-hoc lineup for the recording of this, the last album by the legendary band, recorded live at the Warsaw Aquarium Jazz club. The lineup includes trumpeter Adam KawonczykFind albums by this artist and bassist Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist from the last active incarnation of the band, with drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist and Cuban percussionist Jose TorresFind albums by this artist, who lives in Poland. Saxophonist Henry MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and conga player Adam KawonczykFind albums by this artist guest on the album. Stylistically this album marks a more percussive approach to music mixed with traditional Jazz elements, but is excellent in every sense, as everything the band recorded. An absolute must!

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LESZEK KULAKOWSKI ~ CANTABILE IN G-MINOR MULTIKULTI MPJ 004 (Barcode: 5907529223642) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2011 This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Leszek KulakowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with celebrated American trumpeter Eddie HendersonFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and veteran drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of ten original compositions, all by Kulakowski. The music was recorded in 2006 but released only in 2011. The music is set well within the mainstream Jazz boundaries, with clear melodic themes and pretty straightforward improvisations, all very well performed by the quartet members, but hardly innovative or challenging. Kulakowski is a very skilled weaver of melodies, and his slow melancholic themes are usually more moving than the mid to up-tempo numbers. All the players are of course very experienced performers and the overall level of personal output is excellent. Piotr Kulakowski plays some beautiful bass riffs and holds the quartet together and Pelc is always doing what is expected of him in every situation. Leszek Kulakowski is a charmer, as usual, and his delicate piano chords and solo parts are heartwarming. Henderson, after playing Funk and Jazz-Rock Fusion for many years, is back as a Post-bop player, doing a splendid job both on trumpet and Flugelhorn. However, in comparison to many Polish Jazz trumpeters, who appeared on the scene in recent years, his performances quite honestly a bit pale as to what one might expect. All in all this is a fine mainstream album, which many Jazz fans should be able to enjoy and one that is definitely worth discovering. Perhaps not the strongest statement by Kulakowski to date, but this is definitely a valuable component of his splendid legacy so far.

Updated: 15/11/2019Posted:

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LESZEK KULAKOWSKI ~ PIANO CONCERTO / SKETCHES FOR JAZZ TRIO & SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DUX 0387 (Barcode: 5902547003870) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 Polish pianist / composer Leszek KulakowskiFind albums by this artist is undoubtedly one of his country´s most idiosyncratic musical personalities, spearheading and representing the continuous love affair between Jazz and Classical music in his country. Considering the fact that most Polish Jazz musicians are graduates of musical academic institutions, some of them with Classical as well as Jazz studies behind them, it is hardly surprising that the amalgamation of these two genres happens quite often on the Polish scene. Some Polish Jazz musicians play their interpretations of Classical compositions, most often those by the Polish pianist / composer Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist; others utilize Classical music methods, devices and techniques in their Jazz compositions; and yet others compose large scale compositions, often involving entire symphonic orchestras, like the music by Kulakowski included herein. This album includes two separate works by Kulakowski, both involving piano and a symphony orchestra: his "Piano Concerto" and the "Sketches For Jazz Trio & Symphony Orchestra". The piano concerto is performed by his brother Bogdan KulakowskiFind albums by this artist as the soloist and the sketches are performed by a piano trio, this time with the composer in the piano chair, with bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. Both works are performed with the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist in Gdansk conducted by Szymon BywalecFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live at the Baltic Philharmonic in Gdansk during the Komeda Jazz Festival. Although this is by far not the first attempt of its kind to merge Jazz and Classical music, the music on this album is quite surprising, principally as far as the attempt to create a bona fide Classical composition, especially in the case of the piano concerto, rather than a more "entertaining" mixture of the genres, which could be much more accessible to the average listener. There have been very few attempts to compose a piano concerto, soaked with Jazz undertones and yet so typically Classical in approach and structure. The obvious example of George GershwinFind albums by this artist´s "Piano Concerto in F" (and his other works) comes to mind immediately, not suggesting any direct links between these works, but as a point of reference. The composer seems certainly to be able to create a fully organic, although stylistically retrograde, piece of Classical music, which is moving and aesthetically fulfilling. The Jazz citations, chords and references will be of course more obvious to listeners with a Jazz background rather than to those with a strict Classical one, but both should be able to immensely enjoy the music. The sketches are definitely more "entertaining", with easily recognizable melody lines and fine lyrical atmosphere, lush string accompaniment and nice orchestral "outbursts" always in the right places. This is an elegant and intelligent piece of music, and although less original than the piano concerto, it has its own merits, especially the wonderful balance and integration between the trio and the orchestra, which is usually the weakest link of this type of musical encounters. The performances are quite excellent, both those by the soloists and by the orchestra. The live recording is somewhat mushy and lacking definition, but mostly well balanced, but that is a matter for fineschmeckers to deliberate upon; most listeners should be utterly satisfied with the sonic quality, on top of their admiration of the musical contents. This album is an excellent testimony as to the versatility, quality and artistic ability of the Polish Jazz scene, which has truly very little competition elsewhere. Of course it is another superb addition to the musical legacy of Leszek Kulakowski, who is surely about to take all his admirers by surprise again sometime in the near future. Kudos Maestro!

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LESZEK KULAKOWSKI ~ SLAP & CARESS MUSIC VOX 001 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005 This is an excellent quartet recording by the Polish pianist / composer / educator Leszek KulakowskiFind albums by this artist with the superb veteran vibraphonist Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. The album includes nine original compositions, all by Leszek Kulakowski. Kulakowski is recognized as one of the most respected Polish Jazz musicians, with many achievements as a leader of his own ensembles, composer of Jazz and Jazz-Classical Fusion pieces and distinguished Jazz educator since many years. This album presents just one of his diverse activities in the field, i.e. small ensemble Jazz. The piano / vibraphone quartet, a sadly neglected lineup, opens up many possibilities of expression, which would be otherwise unattainable and Kulakowski makes the best out of this opportunity. The keyboards / vibraphone dialogue is the focal point of this music, which allows the melodic themes to be separately developed by both players simultaneously. The excellent rhythm section supports the soloists sympathetically and elegantly, maintaining the delicate balance between the foreground and the background. Overall the performances are first-rate and the level of professionalism is amazing, as expected. But of course the real forte of this album is the superb level of the compositions, which are all simply stunning. Kulakowski manages to construct his own language, which encompasses elements of Jazz and contemporary Classical idioms, even if those are somewhat hidden beneath the surface. These are hardly the average ditties, which often appear on Jazz albums only to disappear into obscurity soon after. They all have a character and maintain a level of intellectual curiosity, which deserves all praise. Kulakowski is often associated with the Polish Jazz legend Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist in many contexts. Although his compositions are not directly derived from Komeda´s legacy, they show the same conciseness and ability to condense a deeply emotional musical message into a seemingly simply melodic theme. And of course Komeda also had a vibraphonist in his early groups – the legendary Jerzy MilianFind albums by this artist. Capish? So here we have a beautiful mainstream Jazz album, which is full of great music, excellent performances and sophisticated, delicate scents of European Jazz at its best. Who can ask for anything else in these circumstances? Oh well, a bottle of good wine would be nice…

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JACEK PELC CITY JAZZ TRIO ~ LIVE INTERACTIONS JACEK PELC RECORDS 007 (Barcode: 5904013793605) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2022 This is an archival live album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer / bandleader Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist and bassist Grzegorz NadolnyFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Pelc and one is a standard. The music is all mainstream oriented modern Jazz, beautifully melodic and well structured, and as expected superbly executed by these highly experienced musicians. Pelc manages to prove again that being a drummer is not in any conflict with being able to compose beautiful lyrical themes, full of Polish melancholy, which are memorable and highly aesthetic. Herdzin, who appears relatively rarely within the Jazz idiom lately, shows that he was one of the most exciting Polish Jazz piano virtuosi, and his piano playing is truly refreshing herein. Hearing him on this album not only brings fond memories of his artistry, but raises hopes of his desire to return and take his rightful position on the Jazz scene, which he abducted in favor of other explorations. Nadolny plays wonderfully as well, showing great taste and technique both on the upright and electric bass, always perfectly in tune and right on the beat, he provides the background layer to the music, which couldn’t survive without it. And last but not least, Pelc with his Masterly drumming technique and endless trickery, which never ceases to amaze, which rightfully award him the position at the very top of the Polish Jazz rhythm magicians guild. Overall, this is a wonderful Jazz piano trio album, which should delight every fan of that particular niche, but to be honest it speaks to every Jazz lover on this planet, creating a lasting experience, which lingers in the back of the listener’s mind long after the music is over. Absolutely marvelous and well done, my Friend!

Updated: 18/05/2022Posted: 18/05/2022

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JECEK PELC ~ ON THE ROAD JACEK PELC RECORDS 006 (Barcode: 5908254159572) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is a wonderful live album by Polish Jazz / Fusion drummer / composer / bandleader Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with saxophonist Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Bartosz HadalaFind albums by this artist (resident in Canada) and Italian bassist Maurizio RolliFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, six of which are original compositions by Pelc and one is an arrangement of a famous Pop song by the group SkaldowieFind albums by this artist, dedicated to the memory of the great Polish guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, with whom Pelc played for many years. The music is a mixture of mainstream Jazz and Funk / Groove, with excellent melody lines and superb rhythmic approach. As such it is easily accessible to a wide range of Jazz and Fusion listeners, who enjoy sophisticated individual contributions by the band members, which are the highlight of this album. All four instrumentalists really play their hearts out, each contributing several outstanding solos and the quartet performs like a well oiled reliable mechanism, which never fails. Rolli is the great surprise on this album, as his virtuosic performances are simply breathtaking both when he plays his wonderfully structured solos and when he amicably accompanies his fellow band members. His electric bass performances are among the finest one can find anywhere on record in recent years. Pelc also does a great job behind the drums, playing very intensively but at the same time not overriding the other band members. He is one of the most melodic / musical drummers on the Polish Jazz scene, something I recently had an opportunity to witness in person. Overall this is an honest, extremely well played Jazz / Funk album, which is a great fun to listen to, and which will hopefully reach many fans of the genre around the world, as it truly deserves. It proves that the veteran Polish Jazz scene is still alive and kicking, contrary to the general media trend, which often tends to overlook or plainly forget these wonderful musicians. Fans of virtuosic electric bass playing and students of the instrument simply must grab a copy of this album to realize what this instrument can do in the right hands. Well done!

Updated: 04/10/2016Posted: 04/10/2016

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JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ FROM ONE TO FOUR POLJAZZ / ANEX 328 (Barcode: 5907513047834) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1986 Released: 2009 This is the second album as a leader by the fabulous Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, who died recently tragically prematurely, succumbing to cruel illness. Smietana was one of the most active players on the local scene and contributed enormously to its development over the years. This album presents him, as the title suggests, in different settings: solo, duo, trio and quartet, playing with some of the best Polish Jazz musicians active at the time: saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist, bassists Krzysztof ScieranskiFind albums by this artist and Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. They perform eleven compositions, five of which are originals: three by Smietana and one each by Scieranski and Pelc, and the rest of the material is all standards. This is one of the Jazziest albums recorded by Smietana, with fewer Fusion ventures, and his beautiful Jazz sensitivity is especially apparent herein. But all the other players also contribute very fine examples of intelligent, intimate musical conversations with the leader. Scieranski´s bass and Baron´s saxophone are simply delightful. Smietana experiments with the guitar synthesizers and performs on three quite distinctly sounding guitars, with his delicate touch being definitely one of the finest ever. Also the three duets with veteran saxophonist Janusz Muniak are among the album´s most enchanting moments. In retrospect this is a very strong album from start to finish with no weak moments or unnecessary "fillers", and a superb legacy which Smietana left for all of us to enjoy. A must for all Polish Jazz fans! Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.

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JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ SOUNDS & COLORS (POLISH JAZZ VOL.73) POLSKIE RADIO 0533 (Barcode: 5901448115330) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1987 Released: 2005 This is an excellent album by Polish guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, his first recording under his name in the legendary Polish Jazz series, although he already released two albums with his group Extra BallFind albums by this artist a decade earlier. Undoubtedly the best Polish Fusion guitar player, Smietana is also a great tunesmith; this album includes six of his wonderful compositions (and one standard), performed by a superb quartet, which includes side by side with the leader saxophonist Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist (one of future best Polish sax players), bassist Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. The music is very similar to what one might expect from the best Fusion groups around at the time, especially Weather ReportFind albums by this artist, which is a clear model. The guitar (and occasional keyboards) - sax exchanges could be very easily mistaken for another Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist / Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist dialog. But there is enough originality here, both in the compositions and the performances, to dismiss any accusations of plagiarism. These excellent musicians are not to be taken for granted and overall this album is as good, if not better, that any other Fusion album recorded anywhere on this planet. Fusion fans will definitely enjoy this album with no reservations, but the general Jazz loving public should be able to have a great time with it as well. It lost nothing of its charm over time!

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JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ TALKING GUITAR (POLISH JAZZ VOL.93 DELUXE) MUZA 1093 (Barcode: 5907783420931) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1984 Released: 2007 This is an excellent debut album as a leader by Polish guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, presenting a set of ten original compositions performed by a superb team of musicians, including his ex-cohorts from the Extra BallFind albums by this artist ensemble. The list of names reads like a who’s who of the local scene at the time and includes keyboardist Wojciech GroborzFind albums by this artist, bassist Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist, percussionist Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew JaremkoFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Henryk MajewskiFind albums by this artist and Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist (father and son), trombonist Roman SyrekFind albums by this artist and flautist Jan BaytelFind albums by this artist. The music is all Fusion oriented, with great melody lines. Smietana plays some excellent solos and is well supported by his partners. Overall this is mainstream Fusion, which ruled in the 1980s, so one must not expect complexity and innovation in what is supposed to be “good time” music, which it certainly is. The level of professionalism and talent expected from Polish Jazz are certainly there. Recommended to Fusion fans!

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